As graduation nears, the Department of Advertising and Public Relations of Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication is preparing to celebrate the 10th Anniversary Senior Showcase, an annual tribute to student success, talent and teaching excellence. This year’s All-Star Senior Showcase invites students, employers, alumni and faculty to a nostalgic evening in the ballpark. The senior class is stepping up to the plate for its professional debut in front of industry professionals-many of whom are alumni of Klein College. 

In past years, campaigns promoting the Senior Showcase have earned national recognition from organizations such as How Design and Creativity International. Kathy Mueller, chair of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations, launched the Senior Showcase in 2015 with just a handful of students and an innovative spirit. It has since become a cherished event and the department’s signature celebration of student talent and professional promise. By its second year, Mueller brought on a faculty co-chair and larger student team. Understanding the impact of the Senior Showcase, preparation for the event was later woven into Diamond Edge Communications, Klein’s student-run marketing and communications agency. Mueller later passed the baton to Deborah Recano, assistant professor of instruction in advertising. “Deb is brilliant and plays a huge role in sustaining the event’s success,” Muller said. She knew by passing the project to Recano, the Senior Showcase would endure and prosper.  

Looking back, Mueller’s recalled memorable highlights such as Snapchat geofilters, a 360-video concept, live tweeting and hosting a YouTube premiere. Coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, the Senior Showcase team organized a website launch party. Speaking with Mueller, the love she had for the launch party was evident as she passionately raved about the theme of that year, overcoming the challenges of COVID-19, and soaking in the feeling of the students’ success after a long period of uncertainty. 

In celebration of a decade of Senior Showcases, the team is already swinging for the fences to prepare for the All-Star Senior Showcase on Tuesday, April 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. Mueller emphasized that the Showcase is a gallery-style event spotlighting the best of Klein’s advertising and public relations talent. She encourages students to take advantage of the opportunity to make their professional debut—and invites employers and alumni to reconnect and be inspired by the next generation of communication professionals.  

Kathy Mueller’s Tips for Senior Showcase Success 

Employers: 

• Bring your colleagues 
• Add the event to your schedule 
• Coordinate parking beforehand 

Students: 

• Bring business cards and copies of your resume 
• Bring your fully charged laptop 
• Polish your elevator pitch 
• Ask your professors for guidance on how to prepare your work samples 

Kathy Mueller Bio: 

Kathy Mueller is associate professor and chair of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Temple University’s Klein College of Media and Communication. She leads a faculty of engaged researchers and industry professionals while overseeing the education of 400 undergraduates. Professor Mueller’s teaching focuses on visual communication, brand identity and art direction. Before joining Temple, she spent a decade in the field, including at Finch Brands, and she continues to maintain an independent design practice. She holds an MFA in Graphic and Interactive Design from Tyler School of Art + Architecture and an undergraduate degree in graphic design from Moore College of Art and Design.